The Captive Maiden
Melanie Dickerson
Zondervan Gisela's childhood was filled with laughter and visits from nobles such as the duke and his young son. But since her father's death, each day has been filled with nothing but servitude to her stepmother. So when Gisela meets the duke's son, Valten--the boy she has daydreamed about for years--and learns he is throwing a ball, she vows to attend, even if it's only for a taste of a life she'll never have. To her surprise, she catches Valten's eye. Though he is rough around the edges, Gisela finds Valten has completely captured her heart. But other forces are bent on keeping the two from falling further in love, putting Gisela in more danger than she ever imagined
I had high expectations for this book, and was eager to start it. Though I did like the story and the characters, I did feel the writing was a little lacking in places; it felt a little over-explained or simplified, and the two main characters second-guessing …

The Dancing Master Julie Klassen Bethany House Publishers Leaving London, dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire--but is stunned to discover that dancing is prohibited! He finds an unlikely ally in Miss Julia Midwinter, but her questions about his past are becoming harder to evade. Together, can they bring new life to this quiet village--and heal long-kept-secret scars?

...And here comes the first of the Christmas Present book reviews ;) As I'm sure many of you know, I've loved Julie Klassen's books since I read The Apothecary's Daughter when that novel first came out. I received The Silent Governess for Christmas the subsequent year, and ever since then this particular author's books have been expected under the tree every Christmas since.

I was excited for The Dancing Master, and it was different from Julie Klassen's books- mainly because most of it was from the hero's perspective. I did like Alec; he certainly wasn'…

Cozy Classics: Emma
Jack and Holman Wang
Simply Read Books
What a cute idea! A board book told with a minimal amount of words (only one word per page), this early introduction to Jane Austen's classic story was adorable. And the pictures really helped tell the story- I would have thought that it would be impossible to tell such a complicated story in only a few words, but the needle-felted illustrations were done to show such pivotal scenes that I knew what was going on on every page! Definitely a great way to introduce very young children to the stories (and it's part of a series too- there are Cozy Classics versions of Oliver Twist and Jane Eyre, among others)

Rating: 8

I received this book for free from netgalley.com in exchange for my honest review.

Drew is caught in a world of light - just inches away from the darkWhat if...there was a world beyond our vision, a world just fingertips beyond our reach? What if...our world wasn’t beyond their influence?Tragedy and heartache seem to be waiting for Drew Carter at every turn, but college offers Drew a chance to start over—until an accident during a physics experiment leaves him blind and his genius friend, Benjamin Berg, missing.As his sight miraculously returns, Drew discovers that the accident has heightened his neuron activity, giving him skills and sight beyond the normal man. When he begins to observe fierce invaders that no one else can see, he questions his own sanity, and so do others. But is he insane or do the invaders truly exist?With help from Sydney Carlyle, a mysterious and elusive girl who offers encouragement through her faith, Drew searches for his missing friend, Ben, who seems to hold the key to unlocking this mystery. As the dark invaders close in, will he find th…